Individual Petition

Lord Lester of Herne Hill: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Which member states other than the United Kingdom have failed to accept the right of individual petition under (a) the United Nations Convention on the elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination, (b) the United Nations Convention for the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women, (c) the United Nations Convention Against Torture and Inhuman or Degrading Treatment and (d) the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child.

Baroness Amos: In summary, the following numbers of state parties have accepted the right of individual petition.
	Convention on the Elimination of all forms of Racial Discrimination—36.
	Convention on the Elimination of all forms of Discrimination Against Women—27.
	Convention Against Torture and other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment—45.
	Convention on the Rights of the Child—there is no right of individual petition.
	I shall write to the noble Lord with full details.

Republic of Ireland: British Passport Applications

Lord Laird: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	How many applications they have received from residents in the Republic of Ireland for British passports (a) in each year since 1990 and (b) during the period 1 January to 31 October 2001.

Baroness Amos: The British Embassy in Dublin issued the following numbers of British passports in recent years:
	1996: 4,701
	1997: 5,199
	1998: 5,649
	1999: 6,381
	2000: 7,274
	1 January to 31 October 2001: 7,345
	Statistics for earlier years are not available. Because records of unsuccessful applications are not maintained, it is not possible to provide details of the total number of applications received. Neither do the figures available differentiate between applications received from residents of the Republic of Ireland and those who were visiting that country when they made their application.

Great Lakes Region

Lord Judd: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Whether they have studied the report of the visit to the Democratic Republic of Congo last August by the All Party Parliamentary Group on the Great Lakes and Genocide Prevention; what action they are taking in response to the group's recommendations; and whether they are producing a regional strategy paper on the Great Lakes region.

Baroness Amos: We have studied carefully the report made by the all party group. I look forward to discussing it and its recommendations when I meet with the group on 28 November. We have a flexible policy towards the Great Lakes, anchored firmly in the Lusaka and Arusha peace processes, which provide the only viable frameworks for lasting peace in the region.

Air Travel: Identity Checks

Lord Marlesford: asked Her Majesty's Government: What requirements they intend to introduce to check the identities of those travelling by air within the United Kingdom.[HL956]

Lord Rooker: The Anti-terrorism, Crime and Security Bill will amend the Terrorism Act 2000 to give an examining officer the power to make a written request to an air or shipping carrier for it to collect and provide information about passengers, crew, vehicles belonging to passengers or crew and goods carried by ships or aircraft either arriving in, leaving from or traveling within the United Kingdom. At present the power extends only to journeys within the common travel area.
	The type of information to be collected will be specified by order after the passage of this Bill. The law enforcement agencies are working on a list of common information requirements and the carriers will be consulted on this.

Asylum Applications

Lord Marlesford: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Whether they will give a breakdown of the 79,000 applications for asylum received in the past financial year showing:
	(a) the countries of origin;
	(b) the number who applied for asylum at the border and those who made in-country applications;
	(c) the number entering the United Kingdom by air, by ship and by land (via Channel Tunnel); and
	(d) of those making in-country applications, how many were discovered by the authorities and how many surrendered to the authorities voluntarily.

Lord Rooker: A breakdown of the 79,125 applications for asylum to the UK in the financial year 2000–01, by area and nationality, is provided below (Table: Applications for asylum, received in the UK, excluding dependants, by nationality, 2000–01).
	Information on the total numbers of asylum applicants entering the UK by air, by ship and by land (via the Channel Tunnel) is unavailable. Data are available on applications at ports, and are provided below (Table: Total asylum claims at port of entry, 2000–01).
	Information on the numbers of in-country applicants discovered by the authorities or who surrendered to the authorities voluntarily is not currently recorded and is therefore unavailable.
	
		Applications(1) for asylum, received in the UK, excluding dependants, by nationality, April 2000–March 2001
		
			  Applied at port Applied in-country Number of principal applicants Total 
			 Europe 
			 Albania 250 1,430 1,680 
			 Czech Republic 900 75 975 
			 FRY(2) 600 3,945 4,545 
			 Poland 410 420 830 
			 Romania 260 1,650 1,910 
			 Russia 65 720 780 
			 Turkey 2,185 1,915 4,100 
			 Ukraine 115 520 640 
			 Other Former USSR 360 1,485 1,845 
			 Other Former Yugoslavia 80 2,475 2,555 
			 Others 170 300 470 
			  
			 Total 5,390 14,940 20,330 
			  
			 Americas 
			 Colombia 105 225 325 
			 Ecuador 65 230 300 
			 Others 130 360 490 
			  
			 Total 300 815 1,115 
			  
			 Middle East 
			 Iran 1,330 4,985 6,310 
			 Iraq 2,105 6,625 8,730 
			 Others 510 780 1,290 
			  
			 Total 3,940 12,385 16,330 
			  
			 Africa 
			 Algeria 285 1,240 1,525 
			 Angola 205 590 795 
			 Democratic Republic of  Congo 395 560 955 
			 Ethiopia 130 340 470 
			 Gambia 10 40 50 
			 Ghana 100 165 265 
			 Ivory Coast 60 355 415 
			 Kenya 115 225 345 
			 Nigeria 275 460 740 
			 Rwanda 105 615 720 
			  
			 Sierra Leone 580 870 1,450 
			 Somalia 1,095 4,280 5,375 
			 Sudan 200 230 430 
			 Tanzania 25 45 70 
			 Uganda 45 490 535 
			 Zimbabwe 1,005 240 1,250 
			 Others 765 1,875 2,640 
			  
			 Total 5,400 12,625 18,025 
			  
			 Asia 
			 Afghanistan 2,780 3,435 6,215 
			 Bangladesh 200 520 720 
			 China 1,695 1,490 3,185 
			 India 455 1,720 2,175 
			 Pakistan 790 2,070 2,860 
			 Sri Lanka 4,000 2,340 6,340 
			 Others 245 1,035 1,280 
			  
			 Total 10,155 12,615 22,775 
			  
			 Other and unknown  nationalities 265 290 555 
			  
			 Grand Total 25,455 53,675 79,125 
		
	
	(1) Figures rounded to nearest 5, with (*) = 1 or 2.
	(2) Includes applications from Other Yugoslavia.
	
		Total Asylum Claims at Ports of Entry, 2000–01:(3)
		
			  Total 
			 Heathrow 7,765 
			 Dover East 4,835 
			 Waterloo 4,810 
			 Gatwick 2,870 
			 Cheriton 1,300 
			 Stansted 865 
			 Harwich 240 
			 Manchester 210 
			 Hull 160 
			 London City 155 
			 Ashford 145 
			 Portsmouth 130 
			 Felixstowe 110 
			 Tees Ports 95 
			 Birmingham 70 
			 Luton 65 
			 Newcastle/North Shields 25 
			 Dover Hoverport 15 
			 Edinburgh 15 
			 Poole 10 
			 Aberdeen 10 
			 Belfast 5 
			 Bristol 5 
			 Plymouth 5 
			 Liverpool 5 
			 Southampton 5 
			 Swansea 5 
			 Folkestone 5 
			 Leeds Bradford * 
			 Norwich * 
			 Newhaven * 
			 West Midlands * 
			 Cardiff * 
		
	
	(3) All data are provisional and rounded to nearest 5, where * =
	1 or 2

Thames Valley: Gun Licensing Revenue

Lord Burnham: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What money from firearms and gun licence applications has been paid into the general police fund in the Thames Valley for the most recently available accounting period.

Lord Rooker: I understand from the Chief Constable of the Thames Valley Police, who is responsible for administering the firearm and shot gun certification process within his area, that in the financial year 2000–01 the revenue accrued from gun licensing was £326,184. These funds were credited to the Thames Valley Police revenue budget. The overall expenditure of the firearms department for this period was £431,224. In the current financial year the revenue accrued from gun licensing to date (i.e. week 31) is £251,694. It is forecast that the overall cost of the firearms department will be £446,940.

Heavy Goods Vehicles: Speeding Offences

Viscount Simon: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	(a) how many speeding offences involving heavy goods vehicles and public services vehicles have involved speeds in excess of national limits for the vehicles in question over the last three years for which figures are available;
	(b) how many of these vehicles involved in these offences have been found to have defective speed governors; and
	(c) what penalties have been imposed as a result.

Lord Rooker: The Home Office, Northern Ireland Office and the Scottish Executive do not collect information on the type of vehicle involved in speeding offences.

Prisons: Male and Female Use

Lord Tomlinson: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Whether they have any plans to change prisons for men to female use.

Lord Rooker: The number of women in prisons continues to rise steeply, dramatically exceeding the most recent population projections. Extra capacity is urgently needed and the Prison Service has decided that the best way of providing this is a further change of function of male accommodation. Buckley Hall prison near Rochdale has been selected as the most suitable option in terms of suitable accommodation, geographical location, staffing arrangements and other related factors. The prison is expected to be ready to accept female prisoners from early next year.

Red Diesel

Lord Donoughue: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Further to the Written Answer by Lord McIntosh of Haringey on 31 October (WA 162)—
	(a) which categories of off-road vehicles (including railways) qualify for the privileged use of Xred diesel"; and (b) which category Customs assesses to be the largest user of red diesel; and [HL
	Further to the Written Answer by Lord McIntosh of Haringey on 31 October (WA 162) stating that XCustoms data ... do not indicate the end use", how it is officially decided that a user is or is not within the categories qualified legally to enjoy this privileged rate of duty.[HL
	 Question number missing in Hansard, possibly truncated question.

Lord McIntosh of Haringey: The categories of off-road vehicles entitled to use red diesel are set out in Schedule 1 to the Hydrocarbon Oil Duties Act (HODA) 1979. Customs has made no assessment of the quantities of red diesel used by different categories.
	In deciding eligibility to the rebated rate of duty, the user (the individual or company buying rebated oil) must be satisfied that the end use to which the rebated fuel is put is an eligible one, based on the definitions set out in HODA (and explained in Customs and Excise Notice 75 (Fuel for diesel vehicles)). For the majority of users, this decision is clear cut and is based on the type of vehicle the fuel will be used in and where it will be used (HODA Sections 11-12 and Schedule 1). Where there is any doubt, they should consult their supplier for advice and contact the Customs National Advice Service if unsure.
	Customs' road fuel testing units provide checks, targeted to particular risks, which aim to detect and discourage misuse of these fuels as road fuels. In doing so, they will seek evidence in support of the user's judgment of eligibility.

Freedom of Information Act: Implementation

Lord Lester of Herne Hill: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What representations they have received from the Information Commissioner about the implementation of the Freedom of Information Act 2000.[HL
	 Question number missing in Hansard, possibly truncated question.

Lord Irvine of Lairg: I invited the Information Commissioner to express her views on a timetable for the implementation of the Act based on the practical considerations for her office in advance of a decision being taken by the Government. She said that it would be sensible to implement the publication scheme and right of access provisions together on a phased timetable, largely following the structure of Schedule 1 to the Act. She also made it clear that it was for Government to decide on a timetable for implementation.
	Though I took into account the Information Commissioner's views, I also had to take into account the views of those who will be implementing the Act in the public sector and those of ministerial colleagues. The Government reached the view that it was right to implement the publication scheme provisions of the Act first as set out in the schedule I have placed in the House Library.
	The Information Commissioner has welcomed the announcement of a firm timetable for the implementation for the Act.

Freedom of Information Act: Implementation

Lord Lester of Herne Hill: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What obstacles, if any, are impeding the bringing into force of the Freedom of Information Act 2000 by October 2002 in relation to central government departments.

Lord Irvine of Lairg: The Government have decided that the publication scheme provisions of the Act will be implemented for central government in November 2002 at the start of a rolling programme of implementation across the public sector. The individual right of access to information will be implemented for all public authorities at the end of this process in January 2005. This is the Government's preferred approach because it allows time for the required training to be undertaken and appropriate procedures to be put in place to ensure a workable Freedom of Information Act is implemented in a changed culture. It also aligns the implementation of the right of access provisions with the Government's target for the electronic records management project. This initiative will enable the fast retrieval and accurate creation and storage records that will be necessary to meet the demands of the Act.

Human Rights

Lord Lester of Herne Hill: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Whether they will accept the recommendations by the United Nations Human Rights Committee in its concluding observations of 29 October, on the fifth periodic report submitted by the United Kingdom, to consider, as a matter of priority, how persons subject to the jurisdiction of the United Kingdom may be guaranteed effective and consistent protection for the full range of rights under the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, including accession to the first Optional Protocol.

Lord Irvine of Lairg: Her Majesty's Government will consider the concluding observations and any recommendations the committee may make once they are available in their final form.

Turkey

Lord Avebury: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	On what occasions in the present calendar year they have taken up with the Turkish authorities the prohibition on certain British citizens entering Turkey; what reply they received on each of these occasions; and whether they will ensure that, in considering the progress made by Turkey towards meeting the Copenhagen criteria for accession to the European Union, the Council of Ministers are informed of this matter.

Baroness Symons of Vernham Dean: I deeply regret that the Turkish Government continue to deny entry to that country by the noble Lord, as we regret all bars on travel to Turkey imposed on British citizens. We have raised the noble Lord's case on a number of occasions this year, most recently by myself on 18 September during my meeting with the Turkish Minister of State, Dr Kemal Dervis. I also spoke with the Turkish Ambassador to London about this matter in July. The issue was also recently raised with the Director General for Human Rights in the Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs by our Embassy in Ankara. We have not received a satisfactory response; merely the information that the ban has been reviewed twice yet kept in place. The European Council has made clear that Turkey cannot start negotiations to join the EU until it has fulfilled the Copenhagen political criteria.

Livestock Welfare (Disposal) Scheme

Lord Palmer: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Further to the Written Answer by Lord Whitty on 24 October (WA 134) about the cost to public funds of the foot and mouth epidemic, when they will be in a position to give the cost of the Livestock Welfare (Disposal) Scheme.

Lord Whitty: It will be possible to give the final estimated cost of the Livestock Welfare (Disposal) Scheme after it has closed to applicants. The scheme closes on 31 December 2001 and will not be repeated next year. To date, the combined costs of the Livestock Welfare (Disposal) Scheme and Light Lamb Scheme are approximately £400 million. A little over half of this has been payments to farmers and the rest is made up by the costs of processing the animals, including transport, slaughter and disposal of carcases. The final cost will depend on demand for the scheme between now and the end of the year.

Youth Unemployment

Lord Moynihan: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What initiatives they have taken since June to reduce youth unemployment.

Baroness Hollis of Heigham: Our policies, built on a foundation of a strong and stable economy, have helped to reduce long term youth unemployment by almost three-quarters since 1997.
	The New Deal for Young People is continuing to play an active part in helping young people improve their job prospects and move into work. The programme has already helped 326,300 long-term unemployed young people move into work, over 25,000 of those between June and August 2001.
	In our Green Paper, Towards Full Employment in a Modern Society, published in March, we outlined our strategy for building on the success of the New Deal for Young People and improving its performance even further. Since June we have introduced Recruit, a pilot initiative to help employers in deprived areas employ more people through the New Deal's employment option; broadened training within New Deal to allow training that leads to a certificate recognised by employers in their occupational areas; increased the permitted length of work experience placement for New Dealers to eight weeks to enhance their employability; and revised the entry conditions for the New Deal employment option so participants can enter the option from the day they enter the programme.
	We also extended our action teams for jobs initiative to cover 53 areas by October 2001 and 63 areas by January 2002. Action teams provide locally tailored solutions to help people into work.

Housing Benefit

Earl Russell: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What plans they have to improve the administration of housing benefit; and, in particular, whether they have any plans to reduce reduplication of forms by better sharing of information between the local authority and the Benefits Agency.

Baroness Hollis of Heigham: We are working with local authorities to improve the administration of housing benefit. A help team has been established which offers practical advice and support to local authorities on ways to improve delivery. The team is now visiting its sixth authority. We have also set up a help fund to enable local authorities to formulate and implement improvement plans. Authorities are being consulted about a new performance framework which will introduce from 2003 a set of performance standards for housing benefit.
	In order to reduce the duplication of information provided by people claiming housing benefit as well as income support or income-based jobseeker's allowance, we are considering the feasibility of replacing claim form NHB1 with local authorities' own claim forms. Improvements in information sharing between the department and local authorities in recent years means that electronic access to income support and jobseeker's allowance data is available through remote access terminals sited in local authorities. We are currently investigating how we can give local authorities tailored electronic access to other departmental benefit data.
	The customer management system will be implemented from the end of 2002. This is a single claims process that will collect information over the telephone and in person from customers claiming housing benefit with income support, jobseeker's allowance or incapacity benefit. Information relevant to the housing benefit claim will be transferred electronically to local authorities.

Unemployment: Claimant Count

Earl Russell: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	How many people were excluded from the claimant court for unemployment during the past month as a result of benefit sanction.

Baroness Hollis of Heigham: The information is not available. A benefit sanction does not automatically result in a person being excluded from the claimant count, and the database on which sanctions are recorded does not distinguish between those people who are excluded and those who are not.

Social Housing Sector Rents

Baroness Noakes: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Further to the answer by Baroness Hollis of Heigham on 18 October (HL Deb, col. 707):
	(a) when they intend to bring forward proposals to reform social housing sector rents; and
	(b) in what ways they will then reform housing benefit.

Baroness Hollis of Heigham: Our proposals for reforming social housing sector rents were set out in our response to consultation on the Housing Green Paper, Quality and Choice: A decent home for all—the way forward for housing (December 2000), a copy of which is in the Library.
	We believe that before considering long-term structural changes to the housing benefit system, it is right to focus on improving benefit administration and, where possible, simplifying the scheme. For example, from 2 July 2001 the definition of the single room rent was broadened to reflect better the type of accommodation available in the market to young single people. We are considering proposals for the further reform of housing benefit.

Rent Restructuring

Lord Hughes of Woodside: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What are their proposals for rent restructuring and the housing revenue account subsidy allocation for 2002–03.

Lord Falconer of Thoroton: Following extensive consultations last year, we announced our plans to make the rents charged by councils and housing associations fairer and to improve tenants' choice in our housing policy statement Quality and Choice: A decent home for all—the way forward for housing last December. Starting in April 2002, we will begin a series of gradual changes that will result in rents being linked to the value and size of a property and manual earnings in the area.
	Moving to a fairer system will have real benefits: social rents will remain affordable and generally well below market levels; there will be no large rent increases; we have set a limit of RPI + 0.5 per cent + £2 on the annual increase in any individual rent; and average rents will increase more slowly than in the past; in particular council rents will increase at only half the rate over the last 10 years.
	I can today announce a further safeguard. Concerns have been expressed about the effect of the rent restructuring formula on a small proportion of properties in high value areas—around - per cent of the total social housing stock. To meet these concerns we have decided that the reforms should not lead to rents exceeding a maximum £100 a week in 2002–03 for any council or housing association home. Lower figures will apply for smaller properties. The maximum will rise by RPI + 1 per cent a year. Some social housing rents are already above these levels and they will be frozen or reduce over time. Average council rents will remain around half the maximum figure.
	Housing associations are free to decide how quickly they move their rents to the levels required by rent restructuring although they should aim to complete the process as far as possible in the next 10 years. We have advised the chairman of the Housing Corporation that, where housing associations do not need to put their rents up in order to remain financially sound, they should not be pressed to do so.
	I understand that the computer systems used by some local authorities limit their ability to apply different rent changes to different properties next April. I am advising those authorities that for 2002–03 they should apply the average percentage rent change suggested in our restructuring proposals for their stock to all of their rents except where this might involve breaches of the RPI + 0.5 per cent + £2 limit, or the maximum rents announced today. The subsidy system will not penalise authorities for not implementing the reforms at an individual property level.
	We will consult further with local authorities and tenant groups about the movement from averaged rent increases to the rents which we expect to be charged for individual properties by the end of the 10-year transitional period.
	Progress on rent restructuring will be kept under constant review. We will monitor the impact closely each year and will conduct further research on this.
	The Government have already doubled the resources allocated to local authorities for investment in housing and are committed to increasing them further. In particular, we have committed ourselves to ensuring that all social housing meets the decent homes standard by 2010. This will involve eliminating the £19 billion council housing investment backlog we inherited.
	Accordingly, my department is today issuing consultation drafts of the housing revenue account subsidy and Item 8 determinations for 2002–03 which set out proposed subsidy allocations for individual authorities. These are being issued following consultation with authorities and others in which there was general support for the objectives of the proposed changes but concerns were expressed about aspects of the proposals.
	In response to these concerns I should like to make it clear that there is no intention that the technical changes designed to bring the assumptions within the subsidy system back into line with actual costs and revenues should be used either to reduce or increase the aggregate level of resources available to councils nationally. Indeed, the starting assumption in the forthcoming spending review will be that these changes should be resource neutral overall.
	Some redistribution of resources between authorities is inevitable if we are to move to a fairer system for distributing resources. However, in view of the concerns expressed, we will review the formulae used in determining subsidy with local authorities to ensure that they reflect as accurately as possible the relative costs faced by different authorities. The HRA subsidy system for 2003–04 will be adjusted as necessary to reflect those consultations and the outcome of the spending review.
	The proposal to abolish Xmitigation"—the mechanism used to ensure that councils with a higher proportion of tenants in receipt of housing benefit are not heavily penalised by the rent rebate subsidy system—will not be implemented at this stage. We will consult further on this and a decision on the future of mitigation will be taken in due course.
	All the other changes proposed for 2002–03 will be implemented from 1 April 2002.
	Copies of the draft determinations and supporting material are being placed in the Library of the House and will be available on my department's website. These allocations are based on information available to us from authorities as at 29 October 2001 and may change as that information is refined. Authorities have until 17 December to comment on the draft determinations.

Social Services: Charging Policies

Lord Morris of Manchester: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	When they now expect to publish the Department of Health's guidance to local authorities on charging for social services; and what plans they have for charging working disabled people in proportion to their earnings.

Lord Hunt of Kings Heath: The Department of Health plans to issue final guidance to local councils on charging for non-residential social services later this year. The guidance will seek to ensure that charging policies do not create barriers to work for disabled people.

Diabetes

Lord Carlile of Berriew: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	When they expect to publish the Diabetes National Service Framework; and when they expect the framework to reach full service implementation.

Lord Hunt of Kings Heath: We will be publishing the Diabetes National Service Framework in two stages, the diabetes national service framework standards this autumn and the diabetes national service framework delivery strategy next summer. This will enable the National Health Service to prepare to plan for the 10 year implementation programme which will start in April 2003.

Air Pollutants

Lord Lewis of Newnham: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Whether they intend to increase their research funding on the effects of air pollutants on health to take account of the annual costs of adverse health impacts and of air pollution abatement measures.

Lord Hunt of Kings Heath: A call for research proposals has been advertised in the scientific press and the Department of Health's website.
	As intended, this call has invited expressions of interest for a programme of research covering a range of air pollution topics.
	The total amount of funding for this research programme will be approximately £1 million.

Prostheses

The Countess of Mar: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Whether there are any circumstances when depleted uranium is used in the manufacture of prostheses.

Lord Hunt of Kings Heath: There are no circumstances of which we are aware when depleted uranium is used in the manufacture of prostheses.

Headlice Treatment and Organophosphates

The Countess of Mar: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	When shampoos for the treatment of headlice in which the active ingredient was an organophosphate were first marketed; and which organophosphates were licensed.

Lord Hunt of Kings Heath: Shampoos for the treatment of headlice containing organophosphates (Malathion and Lindane) were on the United Kingdom market before the licensing of medicinal products began in the early 1970s when the licensing authority was established. Prior to this, no records were held on medicinal products.
	The first fully approved shampoos for the treatment of headlice containing organophosphates were granted a licence for marketing in 1975. These contained Malathion.

School Playing Fields

Baroness Blatch: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	How many applications have been received to sell off school playing fields in (a) 1997–98; (b) 1998–99; (c) 1999–2000; and (d) 2000–01; and how many applications in each of those years have been agreed.

Baroness Ashton of Upholland: Before October 1998 there was nothing to prevent a local authority selling a school playing field if it wanted to. Section 77 of the School Standards and Framework Act 1998 was introduced in October 1998 to stop the indiscriminate sale of school playing fields. Local authorities and governing bodies of all maintained schools are now required to obtain the Secretary of State's consent before disposing of playing fields or any part of a playing field.
	Applications to sell school playing fields are approved only where it is clear that any proceeds will be used to improve or enhance school sports provision or education facilities. All applications made since mid-July this year are scrutinised by the Independent School Playing Fields Advisory Panel to make sure that they conform to published criteria. The panel comprises representatives from the National Playing Fields Association, the Central Council of Physical Recreation, the education organisation Learning through Landscapes, the National Association of Head Teachers and the Local Government Association.
	The table below sets out details of applications to sell off areas equal to, or larger than, a sports pitch.
	
		
			 Year Received Approved Rejected Not yet Determined 
			 1997–98 3 3 — — 
			 1998–99 49 44 2 3 
			 1999–00 29 27 — 2 
			 2000–01 29 25 — 4 
		
	
	As we publish the criteria against which applications to sell school playing fields are assessed, local authorities and governing bodies do not bring forward applications which they consider do not meet the criteria.
	Notes:
	1. The table includes applications to dispose of school playing fields from local authorities, foundation, voluntary and former grant maintained schools.
	2. All sale proceeds are used to provide new or improved sports or education facilities at maintained schools.
	3. XSports pitch" means an area of open grassed land which is equal to, or larger than, the Football Association's recommended 2,000m(4) area for games played by under-10s and which has a configuration making it suitable for sports, whether laid out as a sports pitch or not.

National Lottery Money and the Millennium Dome

Lord Marlesford: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What percentage of the annual total money raised by the National Lottery has been made over to the New Millennium Experience Company for purposes connected with the Millennium Dome in each financial year since the start of expenditure on the Millennium Dome; and what proportion such funds represented of total funds distributed by the Millennium Commission in each year.

Baroness Blackstone: The percentage of the annual total of National Lottery funding available for the good causes which has been made to the New Millennium Experience Company from the first year it received grant payment is as follows: 1997–1998 = 3.75 per cent; 1998–1999 = 7.4 per cent; 1999–2000 = 16 per cent; 2000–2001 = 5.14 per cent.
	Grant funds paid to the New Millennium Experience Company (NMEC) as a proportion of total grant funds paid by the Millennium Commission for each year since the first grant payment was made are set out in the following table:
	
		
			 Year Grant payments to NMEC £'000 Total grant payments £'000 NMEC grant to total MC grants paid % 
			 1997–1998 74,182 185,428 40.0 
			 1998–1999 144,318 387,060 37.3 
			 1999–2000 280,500 507,882 46.1 
			 2000–2001 92,000 433,543 21.2 
		
	
	Answer covers complete years only since grant first paid to NMEC.

Northern Ireland: Bill of Rights

Lord Laird: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Whether they have discussed with the Government of the Republic of Ireland (a) the fact that, under the first paragraph 9 of the Rights, Safeguards and Equality of Opportunity section of the Belfast Agreement, any bill of rights for Northern Ireland will have to be incorporated in the Irish constitution; and (b) that the Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission's proposed bill of rights will require other changes to the Irish constitution.

Lord Williams of Mostyn: The Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission is expected to make formal recommendations on what may be contained in a bill of rights early in 2002. When those recommendations have been received, the Government will consider them and will consult with any interested parties, including the Irish Government at that stage. However, the Belfast Agreement does not specifically require the Irish Government to incorporate any bill of rights for Northern Ireland into the Irish constitution.

Northern Ireland: Human Rights

Lord Laird: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Given that under Schedule 2 to the Northern Ireland Act 1998, human rights is an excepted matter in Northern Ireland, why the Department of Education in the Northern Ireland Executive is able to (a) hold a conference on human rights (b) appoint an advisory teacher to work in the Children's Law Centre and (c) appoint five teachers to work in conjunction with the Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission, whose staffing is the responsibility of the Government under paragraph 4 of Schedule 7 to the Northern Ireland Act 1998.

Lord Williams of Mostyn: Paragraph 3(c) of Schedule 2 to the Northern Ireland Act 1998 makes it clear that,
	Xobserving and implementing international obligations, obligations under the Human Rights Convention and obligations under Community law", are not excepted matters.
	There is nothing in the Northern Ireland Act to preclude the devolved administration from holding events with a human rights theme. Indeed, the Northern Ireland departments are public authorities for the purposes of the Human Rights Act and under Section 24 of the Northern Ireland Act 1998 are obliged to ensure that they do not act in any way that is incompatible with the convention rights. Similarly, any appointments made by the Northern Ireland Executive are a matter for them.
	While the staffing of the Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission requires the approval of the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, there is no prohibition on the commission collaborating with outside sources to aid it in its work.

Northern Ireland: Road Casualties

Lord Hodgson of Astley Abbotts: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	How many road casualties there have been in Northern Ireland since 1969.

Lord Williams of Mostyn: The information requested is provided in the following table:
	
		Road Casualties for Northern Ireland 1969–2000
		
			 Year Accidents Killed Injured Total Casualties 
			 1969 4,981 257 7,124 7,381 
			 1970 5,308 272 7,902 8,174 
			 1971 5,158 304 7,658 7,962 
			 1972 5,261 372 8,025 8,397 
			 1973 5,000 335 7,662 7,997 
			 1974 4,795 316 7,188 7,504 
			 1975 4,882 313 7,340 7,653 
			 1976 4,943 300 7,319 7,619 
			 1977 5,352 355 7,849 8,204 
			 1978 5,473 288 8,080 8,368 
			 1979 5,388 293 7,628 7,921 
			 1980 4,982 229 7,035 7,264 
			 1981 5,245 223 7,557 7,780 
			 1982 5,551 216 7,923 8,139 
			 1983 5,425 173 7,540 7,713 
			 1984 5,978 189 8,561 8,750 
			 1985 5,779 177 8,460 8,637 
			 1986 6,171 236 9,206 9,442 
			 1987 6,344 214 9,722 9,936 
			 1988 6,943 178 10,789 10,967 
			 1989 7,199 181 11,430 11,611 
			 1990 7,159 185 11,576 11,761 
			 1991 6,171 185 10,129 10,314 
			 1992 6,650 150 11,114 11,264 
			 1993 6,517 143 10,957 11,100 
			 1994 6,783 157 11,937 12,094 
			 1995 6,792 144 11,581 11,725 
			 1996 7,093 142 12,433 12,575 
			 1997 7,192 144 12,554 12,698 
			 1998 7,487 160 13,242 13,402 
			 1999 7,562 141 13,308 13,449 
			 2000 8,388 171 14,549 14,720 
			  
			 Totals 193,952 7,143 305,378 312,521

Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission

Lord Laird: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Why they increased the Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission's annual grant of £750,000 in 2001–02 by £352,000; what is the purpose of this extra money; and whether the Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission will be subjected to financial accountability, by whom and when.

Lord Williams of Mostyn: The Secretary of State for Northern Ireland received from the Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission a bid for extra funding to support the commission's extensive consultation on the scope of a Bill of Rights for Northern Ireland. In response to this bid, the Secretary of State made available a further £357,200 in August this year.
	The Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission, like all other non-departmental public bodies (NDPBs), is subject to strict financial scrutiny. Its statement of accounts is prepared as directed by the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, with the consent of the Treasury, in accordance with the requirements set out in paragraph 7(2)(a) of Schedule 7 to the Northern Ireland Act 1998.
	Brice Dickson, as NDPB accounting officer, is responsible for ensuring that all regulations pertaining to accounts contained in paragraph 7 of Schedule 7 are complied with. This includes sending copies of the commission's statement of accounts to the Secretary of State and the Comptroller and Auditor General for examination at the end of the financial year.

Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission Report on the Rights of Lesbians, Gays and Bi-sexual Persons

Lord Laird: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Whether they intend to respond to the Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission's report on the rights of lesbians, gays and bi-sexual persons published in August without having been approved by the commission.

Lord Williams of Mostyn: The report on the rights of lesbians, gays and bi-sexual persons published by the commission in August was not formally submitted to government and does not therefore require a formal response.
	I understand that the report in question was research that was commissioned by the Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission. The commission's minutes record that members agreed to publish the report on the understanding that it was a report which was commissioned from others by the commission and did not necessarily reflect the considered view of the commission itself. The foreword to the report indicates that the report was produced by others for the commission.

Northern Ireland: Post of Chief Constable

Lord Glentoran: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Whether the post of Chief Constable of the Northern Ireland Police Service will be advertised internationally.

Lord Williams of Mostyn: In accordance with Section 35(1) of the Police (Northern Ireland) Act 2000, the Northern Ireland Policing Board shall, subject to the approval of the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, appoint the Chief Constable of the Police Service of Northern Ireland. It will be a matter in the first instance for the board to consider whether to advertise the post internationally.

Ministerial Travel: Hire of Aeroplanes

Lord Rotherwick: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	How much they have spent on hiring commercial aeroplanes since 12 September, and
	What was the cost of hiring Concorde for the Prime Minister's recent visit to America.

Lord Macdonald of Tradeston: Since 1999 this Government have published a list of all visits overseas undertaken by Cabinet Ministers costing £500 or more during each financial year. The information requested will be published as soon as possible after the end of the current financial year.
	All travel was undertaken fully in accordance with the rules set out in the Ministerial Code and Travel by Ministers, copies of which are available in the Libraries of the House.

Peers' Reimbursement Allowance Scheme

Lord Jenkin of Roding: asked the Chairman of Committees:
	What steps were taken, and when, to inform the House of the new maximum rates of allowance, applicable from 1 August, payable under the Peers' Reimbursement Allowance Scheme.

Lord Tordoff: Revised claim forms which set out the new daily limits were made available when the House resumed on 15 October. At the same time, a new General Guide to the Peers' Reimbursement Allowance Scheme was issued (as recommended by the Senior Salaries Review Body); this too refers to the revised daily limits. The limits were also reported to the Finance and Staff Sub-Committee at its meeting on 30 October.

Peers' Reimbursement Allowance Scheme

Lord Jenkin of Roding: asked the Chairman of Committees:
	Whether Peers who have claimed reimbursement in respect of the sittings of the House in September and October 2001, up to the maximum rates pertaining up to the end of July, will be entitled to claim additional sums in respect of those sittings up to the new maximum rates applicable since 1 August.

Lord Tordoff: Yes. Members of the House will be able to claim any additional expenses incurred up to the revised limits which took effect on 1 August.

Peers' Reimbursement Allowance Scheme

Lord Jenkin of Roding: asked the Chairman of Committees:
	Whether he will in future arrange for increases in the maximum allowances payable under the Peers' Reimbursement Allowance Scheme to be notified to Peers at the earliest opportunity after the new rates have been decided by the relevant House authorities.

Lord Tordoff: Yes. In future, I will take steps to inform the House of the new rates on the next sitting day after the rates have been notified to the House authorities.